I just bought a ten roll pack of the 3M tartan tape at Hobo Depot, they changed the packaging, it used to say 3M and Tartan, now it's in a black and white package and just says tartan. it says in tiny letters "distributed by 3M, I hope it's the same stuff.
Here is a product I have used in a couple of off topic vehicles, and I intend to use it on my current on topic project. Expand-O Sleeving http://www.buyheatshrink.com/braidedsleeving/expando-hr-plus.htm Cleaner looking than the spiral wound electrical tape, doesn't dry up and break like split loom. If you are good with heat shrink and fold the sleeving in on itself at the open ends this comes out looking really nice. The only hard part is having to have wires come out at different points. If you look in the right places this stuff is really cheap on a spool. There is a little learning curve to working it right. Another hint for if you want expandability in the harness, is to run a few lengths of fishing line in with the wires you have. This stuff works somewhat like the old Chinese finger trick toy.
$ 5.00 for 20 feet, usually need two kits for an entire harness. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=9639
That's how we did it, still do it that way, real quick and easy to change the design on the board on the fly if need be.
I go thru probably 30 rolls of the super 33 tape by 3M a year. The only trick is using the quality tape not the cheap tape. When I have to spend over $35 on a ten pack it it isn't that exciting compared to a 10 pack of cheap for $7.99. But there is no need to double roll it twist it and what not at the end. Just wrap it up and and pull it to break it off. It is good stuff. If you buy it you will never use anything else period.
I prefer zip ties every 3-4 inches. makes it easier to follow wires, and easier to ad wires. And I think it looks pretty good if you use fibergl*** range wire....
forget the harness board, i just have my entire dash on the kitchen table. I love these electrical threads. The one i'm doing now the security stuff alone has over 200 wires.
Plymouth Rubber makes tape for GM. Thy even had the GM flag flying. Thy closed down and moved to China.
As it is with all things, done improperly some things don't turn out and the person doing it then blames the product. Wrap it too loose, it comes loose, too tight it pulls itself loose. Wrap it snug and keep the adhesive side from contacting your fingers and other surfaces which contaminate it. At the end, take a wrap back over where it's already wrapped, cut with scissors, avoid contaminating the end with fingerprint, etc, and it will stick down good. Done diligently, you will have trouble locating the end and dislodging it even if you try.
Don't forget clean wires. I see people wrap engine loom wires that are dripping with oil and no tape's gonna hold in that situation. Also use a cleaner to remove any flux residue if you've soldered. Good luck!
Since most electrical tape is poly-vinal cloride {PVC], after taping just coat it with the glue you use for plastic pipe construction. IT all fuses together, won't fray, and hope your worst enemy has to get it apart some day.
I agree with ****es, shrink wrap is the way to go. There is also a sealing shrink tube, which has an adhesive that melts on the inside when heated up to shrink making it water tight. In regards to loom, there is also a braided loom that works great, looks nicer than the corrugated stuff in my opinion.
Search for earlier threads on the HAMB, this has been discussed. If you can't find it, use the military method: wind the tape tight around the wire, then leave about a 6-inch 'tail' at the end. Slit that 'tail' lengthwise into two strips. Wind one clockwise, the other conunterclockwise. Tie them together where they meet. Viola.
I use harness wrap. It is not as sticky as super 33. When you get to the end you can tie it are use the super 33 to tape it down. GM used harness tape to wrap their wires back when I was at GM. Can still buy it.
If it is a connection you care about, use self-vulcanizing tape. It provides a waterproof covering that won't unravel. To ensure against electrical tape unraveling, use a small tie-wrap over the end.
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